Locking sleeves and rings for use in concrete construction



Dec. 22, 1970 I SPANEL 3,548,554

LOCKING SLEEVES AND RINGS FOR USE IN CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed April21, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Hbram N.5| anel Dec. 22, 1970 SPANELI 3,548,554 v LOCKING SLEEVES AND RINGS FOR USE IN CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONFiled April 21, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR A bram Nfipanei UnitedStates Patent 3,548,554 LOCKING SLEEVES AND RINGS FOR USE IN CONCRETECONSTRUCTION Abram N. Spanel, 344 Stockton St, Princeton, NJ. 08816Filed Apr. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 817,815 Int. Cl. E04c 5/20 US. Cl. 52303Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A locking sleeve comprises a hollow,screw-like member having a thread of predetermined dimensioned crestsand roots disposed about the major surface thereof. A plurality ofhollow spherical like structures are positioned at regular intervalsalong the series of threads. The member has top and bottom surfaces eachincluding a hole disposed about the axis of symmetry of said member foraccommodating a steel rod therethrough.

The sleeve, including the rod, is placed in a concrete accommodatinghole in the earth or other suitable structure, the sleeve serving toaccurately position the rod coupled thereto in the hole and furtherproviding additional strength after the introduction of concrete intothe accommodating hole.

Further embodiments show looking ring structures cooperating With thelocking sleeve and rod, adapting the combination for utility with a widenumber of various dimensioned rods.

This invention relates, in general to reinforced concrete structuralmembers and more particularly to a locking sleeve adaptable for use witha metallic or other 7 member used for reinforcing a concrete or otherconstruction.

In the construction of buildings, piers, bulkheads, retaining walls andother structures, concrete columns, piles and various members are widelyutilized.

Of the mechanical properties of concrete the compressive strength is ofprime consideration. Concrete is strongest when loaded in compression.The flexural strength of concrete varies between 400 and 800 pounds persquare inch, which is about five times less than its compressivestrength. The tensile strength of concrete is about one tenth thecompressive strength with variations from 200-600 pounds per square inchbeing common.

In order to utilize concrete extensively in such construction tasks andtherefore obtain the advantages of the physical properties of concrete,i.e., watertightness, durability, fireproofing, and so on, reinforcingbars of steel or other material are placed in the concrete to carry theflexural and tensile loads imposed upon the pile or column due to theexternal or internal forces acting upon the construction.

In the formation of such structures, as for example, concrete piles orcolumns which may, in turn, support the footings of a buildingstructure, holes are bored, drilled or pile driven into the soil orearth. A rod, bar, or suitable member fabricated from steel or othersuitable material is then inserted into the hole and supported in placeby a plate, cement or a shim device; and the concrete is then pouredinto the hole surrounding the member. Alternatively, the concrete may bepoured directly into the hole, and then before hardening sets in, thesteel rod is inserted or forced into the concrete.

Many alternative methods and apparatus, other than the above, also existand are known in the prior art for forming such columnar concretestructures.

In general, certain of such techniques are inadequate, as they are timeconsuming, costly and diificult to im- 3,548,554 Patented Dec. 22, 1970plement. Specifically, the above mentioned techniques place too muchdiscretion upon the capability of the workman, who generally is not aqualified engineer or a particularly skilled laborer. Therefore suchsteel members are incorrectly positioned or inserted, and do not serveoptimumly to compensate the concrete structure for fiexural, or tensilestresses. Still other prior art devices are too time consuming to beconveniently utilized and hence are completely avoided. Other techniquesare inherently expensive, due to materials cost and time required toimplement the same.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simpleand economical reinforced concrete pile structure employing a lockingsleeve for obtaining reliable positioning capability of the reinforcingmember.

A further object is to provide a locking sleeve member adaptable tocoact with a reinforcing steel bar or other member used in reinforcedconcrete constructions.

According to an embodiment of the present invention a portion of a rodof steel, to be used for strengthening a concrete structure, issurrounded by a locking sleeve comprising a relatively thin hollowscrew-like member symmetrically disposed about a given axis and having agiven length. The surfaces of said member are contoured to provide athread-like spiral structure including crest and root sections ofpredetermined dimensions, said member further including a plurality ofsmaller hollow structure symmetrically disposed on said surface alongthe length of said member at regular intervals in relation to saidcrests and roots, said member further having a top surface including afirst hole disposed about said axis and a second opposed surfaceincluding a second hole of the same dimensions as said first hole andalso disposed about said axis, said first and second holes dimensionedto accommodate said rod for positioning the same in a concreteaccommodating hole formed, in a structure, or in the earth, and to beused in construction.

Locking rings for cooperating with said holes in said sleeve are alsoprovided, for adapting the sleeve for use with a wide number ofdifferent sized rods.

These and other objects of the present invention will become clearer ifreference is made to the following specification in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a concrete column structure employing alocking sleeve according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional side view taken through the line 33 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of an alternative embodiment according tothis invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional side view taken through line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of still another alternative embodimentaccording to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a front plan partial sectional view of a lock ing sleeve andlocking ring assembly according to the invention;

FIGS. 9A and 9B top and side plan views, show adjustable rodaccommodating coupling arrangement for a locking sleeve;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another locking ring and locking sleevearrangement; and

FIGS. 11 and 11A are front plan partial sectional views showing stillanother rod locking sleeve arrangement.

FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical reinforcing member 10, The member 10 may beof a bar-like configuration, or any other suitable configuration, andfabricated from a strong structural material normally employed forreinforcing concrete structural members, such as steel and so on.

Surrounding the upper portion of the member is a locking sleeve 11according to this invention. The locking sleeve 11 is fabricated from asuitable material preferably a rigid or semirigid plastic or of aplastic of the thermoplastic type, although other materials may sutficeas well, such as rubber, for example.

The locking sleeve 11 preferably, as shown, has a contiguous, continuoustype surface contour and nature, and formed as such, as will bedescribed, by blow molding.

Basically, the locking sleeve 11, as shown, is a rela tively thinplastic shell including a surface forming a spiral or helical threadarrangement, defined by an inner helical shell 12 and the outer spiralor helical thread-like shell 14. The outer spiral thread shell 14 has acurvelinear crest, similar to a conventional type knuckle screw threadform, although, other screw thread configurations, as the standard worm,acme, square, Whitworth standard, buttress type and so on may beutilized as well. The crest of the screw thread configuration, formed bythe outer shell 14, has positioned thereon, at regular intervals alongthe series of thread, half-spherical shell surface structures 15. Theconvex hemispherical surface structures 15, protrude from the outerspiral shell 14, as can be more clearly seen from FIG. 2. To furtheranalogize the appearance of structure 15, one may consider them, ashollow, halves of golf balls. Actually, as will be seen from thesubsequent dimensions such as analogy is substantially accurate.

The thin plastic, shell-like locking sleeve 11, has an internal hollow.A hole 16 is included on the top surface thereof and a hole 18 on thebottom surface thereof. The holes 16 and 18 are centered about thegeometrical axis of the locking sleeve 11 and are dimensioned of adiameter or opening approximately equal to the cross-sectional diameteror dimensions of the reinforcing bar member 10. The holes 16 and 18 arepreferably congruent with the cross sectional shape of the reinforcingmember 10 as shown in FIG. 2, to provide a tight fit of the shell-likelocking sleeve 11 with the member 10. Although the holes are shownthusly, a locking ring mechanism may be utilized to cooperate with theholes for accommodating a greater number of different cross-sectionalshaped and dimensioned rods. Such locking rings and the advantages ofsuch techniques will be described subsequently.

Situated on the locking sleeve is a grout accommodating spout 17 whichhas an internal hollow passageway communicating with the internal hollowof the shell-like locking sleeve 11. The configuration of the spout 17and the passageway can be more clearly seen by referring to FIG. 3,which shows the spout 17 communicating with the grout-filled hollow ofthe locking sleeve 11 at one end, and communicating with the externalenvironment at the other end.

In summation, the physical appearance of the locking sleeve 11 is as ahollow, thin, shelled, screw having a thread of relatively equaldimensioned crests and roots and further having a plurality of hollowhalf spheres 15 positioned on said crest along the series of thread andpreferably spaced at regular intervals, the top surface of the lockingsleeve 11 forms a collar having a hole 16 symmetrically disposed aboutthe screw axis and dimensioned according to the cross-sectionaldimensions of a typical reinforcing member as 10. A further collar andhole 18 at the bottom end of the sleeve 11, are substantially locatedabout the same screw axis and dimensioned similarly as the top collarand hole 16.

The utility and advantages of my unique locking sleeve structuredescribed in conjunction with FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 will now be explained.

Referring again to FIG. 1, numeral 20 references the earth level orground plane. A hole having a diameter approximately equal to orslightly greater than the diameter of the outer spiral 14 plus thediameter of the spherical surface structures 15 is drilled, dug orotherwise formed approximately perpendicular, as shown, to the surface20. Surface 20, shown generally as the earth, may also be a wall,bulkhead, etc., or any other surface of a structure which is toaccommodate a reinforced concrete structure. Before the concrete ispoured into the hole, thus formed, it must be reinforced in propermanner. The hole as dug may extend into the earth or structure, ten ormore feet and at its base hardened by concrete or a steel plate and thelike to safely support a steel or concrete bar and the load it in turnsupports.

The rod or reinforcing bar 10 consequently is of a similar length (10 ormore feet). The top end of the rod is then surrounded by the lockingsleeve 11 by inserting the rod 10 through the holes 16 and 18 as shownin FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. A locking ring arrangement to be described may alsobe used to accommodate smaller rods in the larger holes as 16 and 18.The sleeve 11 as positioned on the rod permits the spout 17 to protrudeabove the ground surface 20 as shown in FIG. 1.

The entire assembly may then be inserted into the hole. Alternatively,the rod 10, may first be inserted into the hole and then the sleevemember 11 forced or placed thereon via the accommodating holes 16 and18. The sleeve 11 positions the rod 10 in the hole as the semisphericalstructures 15 engage the periphery of the hole as shown in FIG. 1.

Concrete 25 is now poured into the hole and fills the entire holeincluding the area between the threads of the spirals 12 and 14 of thesleeve 11 as shown in FIG. 1. The pouring of the concrete 25 ispermitted through the spacings afforded by the structure as shown inFIG. 2. After, or even before, the concrete 25 has hardened, a grout 28is poured into the grout accommodating spout 17 and fills the entirehollow confines of the thin-shelled, plastic sleeve 11, as shown in FIG.3. The grout 28 substance may be concrete, epoxy, cement, plaster, orany other typical grouting.

After hardening of the concrete 25 and grout 28 the rod 10 is firmlysecured in the hole. The locking sleeve 11 securely locks the rod 10 tothe concrete 25 via the grout and further assures accurate positioning.Each spherical surface 15, both internally and externally in cooperatingwith the thread-like spiral structures offer increased surface area, tothe entire rod assembly at the position of the locking sleeve. Thisaction, affords restraint against forces tending to pull the entireassembly out from the ground or structure, or to move it. This includesall flexural and tensile components exerted along all pertinentdirections.

Referring to FIG. 4 there is shown an alternative configuration of alocking sleeve.

FIG. 4 shows a reinforcing member or steel member 40 inserted throughholes 41 and 42 of a relatively thin shelled plastic locking sleevemember 43.

The member 43, fabricated from suitable materials already mentioned andpreferably formed by a blow molding or other suitable technique, has anouter screw thread or spiral configuration 44 having a crest of a wormor flat form and of a relatively smaller dimension than the root portionof the inner spiral 45. Spaced at regular intervals along the series ofthreads in the root portion 45 of the sleeve 43, are concave sphericalstructures 46. Such structures, are dimensioned similar to those (15)shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, but protrude into the hollow confines of theshell-like locking sleeve 43.

The locking sleeve 43 shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, is utilized in the samemanner as the sleeve 11 in the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and the above describedmethod of coupling the same to concrete reinforcing rods in combinationwith the concrete columns is similar. A slightly larger hole may beformed in the earth to permit the pouring of concrete into a suitablehole; or a smaller concrete pouring hole of a length equal to member 43communicating with the concrete accommodating hole may be used.

FIG. 7 shows a thin shelled locking sleeve 49 having a spiral or helicalthread configuration of a worm type appearance. The crest section 51thereof has disposed thereon hemispherical hollow structures 53 disposedon said crests at regular intervals in relation to said crest 51 and theworm section.

The fabrication of such units as 11, 43 and 49 can be accommodated by aplastic forming technique as casting, injection or blow molding and soon, although the shapes and configurations are particularly suitable foruse with the so-called blow molding process.

Generally, in the blow molding process granules, sheets or extrusions ofthermoplastic material are forced into hollow, closed molds by airpressure or otherwise. The technique is also employed in the glassindustry for forming glass products. Automatic equipment removes aproper, predetermined size of plastic material and blows the desiredshape in a split mold. The split mold, of course, has inner and outercores corresponding to the locking sleeve configurations shown. Afterthe blowing of the material into the mold, the mold is opened, and thelocking sleeve or article of manufacture removed therefrom. The blowmold process produces the sleeve structures 11 and 43 shown in thefigures, such that, the material thickness is relatively uniformthroughout as is shown in the sectional views of FIGS. 3 and 6.

It would be obvious to one skilled in the art, on how the blow moldprocess is so appropriate to the structures shown herein, as well asother methods of producing the same using both thermoplastic andthermosetting materials.

It has been found that to secure rods in concrete of or more feet inlength, lengths of such sleeves as 11, 43 and 49 of one to three feet ormore are utilized. The diameter of such sleeves, as related to thediameter of the rod, are not more than 2 to 3 times greater. The diameter of the convex and concave half golf-ball structures are typically/2 to 2", depending on the task to be performed.

Referring to FIG. 8 there is shown a locking ring 60 disposed about areinforcing rod 61. A partial section of a locking sleeve is shown aboutthe rod 61. The locking sleeve 62 which may have one of the previouslyshown configurations as a helical threaded shell, and so on, has anopening 63 which is larger than the diameter of the rod 61, or largerthan the cross sectional area thereof. In order to maintain an easyinventory and avoid the stockpiling of a large number of differentlocking sleeves with all types of different hole sizes for accommodatingdifferent sized rods as 61 and so on a locking ring is used. To solvethis problem, locking rings as 60 are fabricated from a thermoplastic,rubber or a foamed polyurethane substance, or some other suitable orelastomeric material. The locking rings 60, as fabricated, have a hole64 disposed about the axis of symmetry, which opening or hole 64 can bemade in various sizes to correspond to the diameters of typical rodstructures as 60. In this manner the locking sleeve 62 can be made witha relatively large hole or opening 63 to accommodate the largestanticipated reinforcing rod 61. For smaller sized rods 61, a ring 60,having a smaller opening is secured on the rod and encircles the same.The ring 60 also has an outer diameter which may include a flange, asshown, dimensioned to coact with and be inserted into the hole 63 of thelocking sleeve 62.

A similar technique may be employed for the bottom opening, as well.

FIG. 9A shows a top view of a locking sleeve 70, which may have thesurface contour previously described. Instead of having an openingdimensioned as the cross sectional area of a typical rod, the sleeve 70has a variable opening which may secure rods of different diameter.

The structure shown in FIG. 9A has a hole 83, approximately one halfinch in diameter and radiating outwards from the hole 83 are radialperforations 71. Such perforations may be formed by cutting radii of thecircle 72 on the rod surface (top or bottom) of the locking sleeve 70.If reference is made to FIG. 9B, it is clearly shown how the rod 73 issecured by the triangular sections of locking sleeve material, when therod is forced into the perforated arrangement shown in FIG. 9A.

FIG. 10 shows a locking ring 75 having a rod accommodating opening 78,which may vary from ring to ring according to the dimensions of alocking rod. The outer diameter of the ring 75 is approximately the samesize as the opening 76 in the locking sleeve 77. The ring 75 cantherefore be forced into the opening 76 of the sleeve 77 and glued,screwed or otherwise fastened to the locking sleeve 77 to further permita wide range of rod sizes to be accommodated in concrete construction.

FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment for accommodating various sized rodmembers. The hollow, plastic, locking sleeve 80 is formed with a hollowconical shell 81 on a. rod accommodating surface. The hollow 81 hasmarked graduations thereon 82, 83 and 84 which are marked for example ininches as 3, 2 and 1 respectively at positions on the cone 81corresponding to the diameter thereof. If one desired to use a 2" rodwith the locking sleeve 80, one would cut or remove the portion of thehollow cone 81 above, for example, line 83. A rod as shown in FIG. 11Acan then be inserted and easily accommodated within the locking sleeve.

Other configurations and embodiments will become clear to those skilledin the art when reading the specification, and as such are considered tobe within the full scope and breadth of the invention, limited only bythe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a rod-like member to be utilized in a concreteconstruction, apparatus for providing accurate positioning of the rodwhile further strengthening said construction, comprising:

(a) a hollow screw-like member, symmetrically disposed about a givenaxis and of a given length, said member, having a threaded surfacecomprising symmetrically disposed crests and roots on said surface andalong the length of said member,

(b) a plurality of hollow spherical structures positioned along theseries of threads at regularly spaced intervals with respect to saidcrests and roots,

(c) said hollow screw-like member further having on another surfacethereof a first hole disposed about said axis and a second hole on saidstill another opposing surface thereof congruent with said first holeand disposed about said given axis, said first and second holes being ofa configuration substantially congruent to a cross-sectionalconfiguration on said rodlike member for securing said hollow screw-likemember to said rod, said rod-like member traversing said hollow memberand being disposed in said holes.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a grout accommodating means situated on the member, said meanshaving an internal passageway communicating at one end with the internalhollow of said screw-like member, for applying a grout material throughsaid passageway into said internal hollow of said screw-like member whenthe same is surrounded by concrete.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, said sphericalstructures, are hollow half spheres located on and projecting from saidcrests of said threaded surfaces, whereby with respect to said givenaxis said surfaces of said spheres are convex.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, said sphericalstructures are hollow half spheres located on and projecting into saidroot sections.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, said hollow, screw-likemember is fabricated from a thermoplastic material.

6. An article of manufacture for use in reinforced concreteconstructions, comprising:

(a) a relatively thin shelled hollow member, symmetrically disposedabout a given axis, and having a surface contour defined by a threadlike spiral including crest and root sections of predetermineddimensions, said member further including a plurality of protrusionssymmetrically disposed on said surface along the length of said memberat regular intervals in relation to said crests and roots and furtherhaving a top surface having a first opening thereon, disposed about saidaxis, and a bottom surface having a second opening of the same dimensionas said first opening and disposed about said axis and thereforesubstantially in line with said first opening.

7. A locking sleeve apparatus used for coacting with a metallic rod tobe used in strengthening a concrete construction comprising:

(a) a cylindrical member having an internal hollow symmetricallydisposed about a given axis, and having a major surface contour definedby a thread like spiral including crest and root sections ofpredetermined dimensions, said member further including a plurality ofhemispherical structures symmetrically disposed on said surface atregular intervals in relation to said crests and roots, said memberhaving separate top and bottom surfaces each having an openingsymmetrically disposed about said axis and dimensioned according to andin congruency with the cross-sectional area of said metallic rod,whereby said rod can be inserted through said openings to fix saidmember to said rod.

8. The locking sleeve apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said memberis fabricated from a thermoplastic material having a substantiallyuniform cross-sectional thickness between all of said surfaces and saidinternal hollow.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 further compris- (a) locking typemeans coupled to at least one of said locking sleeve openings foradapting said opening for coacting with a plurality of differentcross-sectional rod configurations.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said locking type meanscomprises:

(a) an annular ring having an inside opening approximately congruent tothe cross sectional area of said rod, and an outside diameterapproximately equal to said opening of said locking sleeve,

(b) means, coupling said annular ring to said locking sleeve.

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